Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing module, including a carry-out/in port of a substrate, in which a first liquid processing device and a second liquid processing device provided at a position farther from the carry-out/in port than the first liquid processing device is are provided; and a transfer device configured to carry the substrate out from and into the liquid processing module. The first liquid processing device performs a first liquid processing on the substrate. The second liquid processing device performs a second liquid processing on the substrate before or after the first liquid processing. The transfer device includes a substrate holder configured to be moved back and forth in a first horizontal direction, and carries the non-processed substrate into the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port and carries the processed substrate out from the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port.

We claim: 
     
       1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
 a liquid processing module, including a carry-out/in port of a substrate, in which a first liquid processing device and a second liquid processing device provided at a position farther in a first horizontal direction from the carry-out/in port than the first liquid processing device are provided; and 
 a transfer device configured to carry the substrate out from and into the liquid processing module, 
 wherein the first liquid processing device is equipped with a first holder configured to hold the substrate and configured to perform a first liquid processing on the substrate held by the first holder, 
 the second liquid processing device is equipped with a second holder configured to hold the substrate and configured to perform a second liquid processing on the substrate held by the second holder before or after the first liquid processing, and 
 the transfer device is equipped with a substrate holder configured to be moved back and forth in the first horizontal direction, and is configured to carry the substrate, which is to be processed in the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device, into the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port and carry the substrate, which is processed in the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device, out from the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port by moving the substrate held by the substrate holder back and forth in the first horizontal direction, 
 wherein the liquid processing module further includes: 
 at least one partition wall configured to isolate an atmosphere inside the first liquid processing device from an atmosphere inside the second liquid processing device; 
 a shutter configured to open/close an opening provided in the partition wall; and 
 an exchange device, provided between the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device, configured to exchange the substrate between the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device through the opening, 
 wherein the carry-out/in port, the first liquid processing device, the opening and the second liquid processing device are arranged in the first horizontal direction, and 
 the carry-out/in port and the opening are overlapped with each other at least in part when viewed from the first horizontal direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the exchange device includes a first arm and a second arm, and is configured to perform the exchange of the substrate by a transfer of a first substrate from the first liquid processing device to the second liquid processing device through the first arm and a transfer of a second substrate from the second liquid processing device to the first liquid processing device through the second arm. 
 
     
     
       3. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first arm and the second arm are provided at different height positions from each other, which allows the transfer of the first substrate from the first liquid processing device to the second liquid processing device through the first arm and the transfer of the second substrate from the second liquid processing device to the first liquid processing device through the second arm to be performed simultaneously without interference between the first arm and the second arm. 
 
     
     
       4. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least one partition wall includes a first partition wall provided near the first liquid processing device and a second partition wall provided near the second liquid processing device, 
 the opening and the shutter are provided at each of the first partition wall and the second partition wall, and 
 an arm standby space allowed to accommodate therein the first arm and the second arm is formed between the first partition wall and the second partition wall. 
 
     
     
       5. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to control an operation of at least the liquid processing module, 
 wherein the controller simultaneously performs the transfer of the first substrate from the first liquid processing device to the second liquid processing device through the first arm and the transfer of the second substrate from the second liquid processing device to the first liquid processing device through the second arm, and 
 when a time required for a liquid processing performed in the first liquid processing device is different from a time required for a liquid processing performed in the second liquid processing device, the controller performs, in any one liquid processing device where the liquid processing is performed in a shorter time, at least one of delaying a start of the liquid processing or increasing a time required for a final process of the liquid processing. 
 
     
     
       6. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the liquid processing module further includes a first gas supply configured to supply a gas into the first liquid processing device; a first exhaust unit configured to exhaust the atmosphere inside the first liquid processing device; a second gas supply configured to supply a gas into the second liquid processing device; and a second exhaust unit configured to exhaust the atmosphere inside the second liquid processing device, and is configured to independently control a pressure inside the first liquid processing device and a pressure inside the second liquid processing device. 
 
     
     
       7. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to control an operation of at least the liquid processing module, 
 wherein the controller controls the operation of the liquid processing module such that a final process of a preceding liquid processing performed in one of the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device that performs the liquid processing on the substrate first is a puddle forming process in which a puddle of a processing liquid is formed on a front surface of the substrate and such that the substrate is transferred to the liquid processing device that performs a succeeding liquid processing performed after the preceding liquid processing in a state where the puddle of the processing liquid is formed thereon, and 
 the preceding liquid processing is a first one of the first liquid processing and the second liquid processing and the succeeding liquid processing is a second one of the first liquid processing and the second liquid processing. 
 
     
     
       8. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 7 ,
 wherein when the substrate is transferred to the liquid processing device that performs the succeeding liquid processing performed after the preceding liquid processing in the state where the puddle of the processing liquid is formed thereon, one of the first arm and the second arm, which is located at a lower height position, is used. 
 
     
     
       9. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the final process of the preceding liquid processing is the puddle forming process in which a puddle of a rinse liquid is formed on the front surface of the substrate, and 
 the preceding liquid processing further includes, before the puddle forming process, an etching process of wet-etching the substrate with a chemical liquid and a rinse process of rinsing the substrate with the rinse liquid after the etching process. 
 
     
     
       10. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the etching process of the preceding liquid processing is performed in a state where the substrate is heated, and 
 a heater configured to heat the substrate is provided in one of the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device that performs the preceding liquid processing. 
 
     
     
       11. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 10 ,
 wherein a temperature-controlled gas supply configured to supply a heated gas into the liquid processing device that performs the preceding liquid processing is provided. 
 
     
     
       12. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the liquid processing device that performs the preceding liquid processing is the second liquid processing device. 
 
     
     
       13. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 7 ,
 wherein a final process of the succeeding liquid processing is a drying process using a drying organic solvent and a drying gas. 
 
     
     
       14. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein one of the first holder and the second holder, that is provided in the liquid processing device which performs the succeeding liquid processing, is a mechanical chuck configured to grip a periphery of the substrate and hold the substrate horizontally, and 
 one of the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device, that is equipped with the mechanical chuck, is configured to perform the liquid processing on both the front surface and a rear surface of the substrate. 
 
     
     
       15. The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first liquid processing includes a first chemical liquid process using a first chemical liquid, and the second liquid processing includes a second chemical liquid process using a second chemical liquid different from the first chemical liquid.